"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (ESV)
Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and any other holiday that I have forgotten! :) That had to be the longest "Day of Silence" (see post below) ever.
I am still alive. :)
Let me bring you up to date: I just started my Junior year (one week ago today), I am meandering through with a "B" average (darn that History and Algebra ~ C in both classes and I will NEVER understand why I need Algebra to preach HA!) , the boys are great ~ Eyeore has been visiting recently and I am thrilled with the change in his heart, Tigger is still Tigger ~ An endless ball of energy!
The holidays were good, though right after Christmas, I came down with the flu.... The (I think I should wish for) DEATH FLU... Every. Single. Part. Of. My. Body. HURT. From the top of my head, to the souls of my feet... The hurt where you just want to lay on your back and not breathe... I swear I could feel the hair on my legs grow, as I laid there thinking that the Angel of Death was hovering directly over my bed. I am so getting a flu shot next year! This is 2 years in a row that I got it and quite frankly I do not want it ever again. It has been 2 weeks and I am just now feeling about 95% normal, though I still have the cough ~ Blech.
As I read back on some of my older posts for the beginning of a new year, I noticed that I have prayed for/received a single word for the new year. In the past years I have received "trust" and "patience," this year the word He gave me is "reckless."
Once I had the word, I started noticing it everywhere, that is how I know I am on the right path.
In the dictionary, the word reckless is defined as "utterly unconcerned about the consequences of some action; without caution; careless."
Say what???
Come again???
See in my mind, I have a clear picture of what a Minister is supposed to look like, speak like, walk like, live like etc... The very definition of reckless is the COMPLETE opposite, of the picture my mind paints.
Reckless describes the way I used to live so long ago, it describes the way I disregarded my very life when I allowed myself to make numerous, very unfortunate decisions growing up. It is a 180 from what I am today.
So I thought long and hard about this word, how I could incorporate this into my daily life.
Look at the first part of the definition ~ "utterly unconcerned about the consequences of some action"
Utterly unconcerned by what others may think about my worship, my love, my faith, my praise, etc... My love for Him has got to be reckless, otherwise I run the risk of conforming to what others think I should be; from the way I dress, to the way I preach.
Look at the second part of the definition ~ "without caution"
To follow Him has got to be without caution, to not hold anything back due to fear, or circumstance, or doubt.
Third part ~ "careless"
Careless is also another word for unconcerned, therefore, go back to what I wrote for the first part.
I want my life to be reckless and unabashed when it comes to the way I follow Him. I want to get to the point where I do not care (I say that nicely) what others may think. I pray that I am reckless to the point that others see Him, before they even see me.
Do you have a word for the year?
Many blessings!
JEREMY CAMP
Everytime I Try To Play It Safe
Holding Back Just A Little Part Of Me
I Find Myself Forgetting What
I Say That I Believe
